


Come In Threes

by CloseToSomethingReal



Series: Bonded From Birth [3]
Category: The Glass Scientists (Webcomic)
Genre: Child Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-05-13 15:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14751572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloseToSomethingReal/pseuds/CloseToSomethingReal
Summary: A series of one-shots and shorts from my series, Bonded from Birth. If you haven't read the two other books, you probably should. Don't worry, this story isn't going anywhere!





	1. Dr. Puzzled and Mr. Wish

_ May 25th, 1869 _

“Edward, Edward my lovely, wake up!” Stephen breathed, breath warm against Edward’s ear. 

“What is wrong why do I need to get up?” Edward groaned. 

“Your breakfast will get cold.” Stephen replied simply. “Do you know what day it is, Edward?” He asked.    
“No…” Edward replied, sitting up with a big yawn. 

Stephen smiled at him, emerald eyes bright. “It is May twenty-fifth, Edward. Happy eighteenth.” He said, and gave the blond a kiss. 

Edward beamed. “I completely forgot!” He admitted, laughing a little. He sat up, pulled his arms tight around the brunet. He would have complained about being woken up, but Stephen had gotten up earlier to cook. 

“I had figured you would. How does your ankle feel? I do have plans but we can cancel them if you're in no condition to walk.” Stephen offered, placing the tray on the table beside the bed and pulling his arms around the little blond on the bed. 

“I… I should be okay. I can take a pill and we can go out.” Edward decided, smiling and tilting his head up to give Stephen another kiss. “I would like to see what you have planned.” He decided. 

Stephen smiled and kissed him one more time before placing the the tray he had brought in the blond’s lap. “I am glad you are interested, I spent a while planning.” He admitted. 

“God, now I feel bad. I did nothing this impressive for you.” Edward remarked, ducking his head.

“Two things. One, I did not pick things that only you would enjoy doing. Two, anything you do is wonderful and I loved what you did, Eddie.” He leaned in and whispered in Edward’s ear, “especially when we got home.” 

Hyde blushed and gave him a shove, Stephen laughed and kissed his cheek. “I am glad you… appreciated that. I, on the other hand, was sore for ages and-" 

“Eat, you are ruining it and your breakfast is getting cold.” Stephen told him. 

Edward nodded, took a bite of an egg. “How much flexibility is there in your plan, Steph?”

“A little, why?” 

Hyde replied by putting the tray to the side and crawling into Stephen’s lap, curling up against the man’s chest. 

Stephen chuckled. “I really should have known you would do that.” He said, pulling his arms around the blond and kissing his forehead. 

“Yes you should have.” Hyde agreed. 

He was silent for a few moments, enjoying Stephen’s warm embrace with his brilliant green eyes closed. 

Until he seemed to remember something.“It is not just my birthday, Steph… is it is my birthday again that… That means it has been a year. Since my parents died.” He realized. “I should not be happy. Or celebrating.” 

“See, you have that backwards. I know you sat a vigil with them, but did you ever celebrate their lives? That is part of the process. So think of this as both your birthday, and that celebration.”

“You always know exactly what to say, Steph.” Edward whispered. “How do you do it?” 

“I wish I knew. I would tell you.” 

They were much later getting out of the apartment than Stephen had planned, but neither really minded. Edward was always snuggly and always wanted to cuddle for a while. He should have foreseen that. 

“Come on, Eddie.” Stephen encouraged, placing him on his feet and handing him his cane. “How many of the pills?”

“Just one or I might pass out on you.” Edward replied, balancing cautiously against his cane.

“You tired?” Stephen asked worriedly. 

“Not feeling one hundred percent and those things make it worse.” Hyde replied. 

Stephen nodded and handed him a small white pill and a glass of water from beside the bed. One of them, whose name started with E, had been supposed to drink that water before going to bed, but he hadn't. 

Edward swallowed the pill down with a sip of water. 

“Are you all good to go now?” Stephen asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Good. Follow me!” Stephen raced out the door, Edward barely a few seconds behind him. 

Stephen really did have a lot planned. Of course, a lot of walking, which was normal, considering their activities were spread throughout London.

Of course, the plan did not necessarily save time for Edward to run off and chase stray cats across a park, but it was his day, so Stephen joined right in. 

And shortly thereafter Hyde was bleeding, but had found a mother and five kittens that were friendly enough to pet. 

Stephen barely managed to convince him that the kittens and their mother would be much happier living outside than in their apartment. That and it was getting to afternoon and they should go and get some lunch. 

“Can we get a cat?” Edward asked, green eyes bright and wide and pleading. 

“Not right now.” Stephen replied.

“Soon?” Edward implored, and god, Stephen did not particularly want a cat, but how could he say no to that face? 

“We will see.” He decided. Hyde smiled. 

He would regret saying that someday, when Hyde inevitably did come home with a cat. 

They ate lunch in a quiet diner, found some bandages to wrap Edward’s still-bleeding hand up with, maybe that would teach him not to mess with feral tomcats, and headed back out. 

“So, what else have you got planned, Steph?” Hyde asked curiously. 

“Well… one part you may not be totally thrilled with, but I invited your brother over for dinner.” 

“That is fine, I did want to see him. Why will I not be thrilled?” Edward asked. 

“Because you know who else I had to invite, and you do not seem to like him. Also, you will have to pretend it is not your birthday. Too many coincidences are going to start sending off flags for Henry.” Stephen reminded him. 

“Oh, right. Well, it will be nice to see him anyways.” Hyde decided. 

“Well, I am glad I did not ruin things too badly by inviting him then. Either way, we should go home and get cooking. And yes, if you insist I will let you not help me cook. It is your birthday, I suppose I should be nice.” Stephen decided. 

Hyde smiled and gave him a hug. “I can help a little bit.” He decided. “But only a little bit.” 

“Everything counts.” Stephen assured him. 

So they went home, and while Stephen cooked Hyde pretended to help but really just made himself incredibly distracting to Stephen. 

Until the guests showed up. Maybe Henry and Robert could not tell, but Edward was antsy. Nervous, almost. One wrong word and he could blow everything. 

“Hello! It is good to see you!” The blond said with a smile, ushering them both inside. 

“Glad you could make it with such short notice.” Stephen said. 

“Well, Henry had been whining at me that it was his day to cook but also his birthday and he did not want to, so this was the perfect solution.” Robert laughed. 

“It is your birthday?” Edward asked, feigning surprise. “Well, happy birthday, Henry!” 

“Thank you, Edward.” Henry smiled and ducked his head. “When do you turn eighteen?” He asked curiously.

“Next week.” Edward seemed to already have that lie planned out. “Come on in, sit down, Stephen, do you not need my help cooking anymore, do you?” 

“I will get more done without it, Eddie.” Stephen replied, laughing and kissing his forehead. “You go and visit.” 

Edward nodded and led the guests to the living room. 

“So what did you do to your hand this time, Edward?” Henry asked, suddenly taking note of the bandages. 

“Tried to pet a cat that did not want me to pet him.” Edward replied, blushing. “He made that pretty clear. But I did find a mother cat and her kittens and she let me play with them. So it was worth it.” 

“And you did not bring them all home with you? I am stunned!” Henry laughed. 

“Stephen would not let me bring them home with me.” Edward explained. 

“They were wild cats. You should have seen the way the mama cat was watching Edward. One wrong move and he would have had a lot more than a few scratches on him.” Stephen predicted. 

“Well, lucky you did not make that one wrong move.” Robert remarked. 

“I suppose. The kittens were really cute, though.” Edward remarked, smiling to himself. 

“Kittens always are.” Henry said knowingly. “All baby animals are, actually.” 

“That is very true.” Edward agreed, giggling. “Speaking of animals, how is Zosi?” 

“Still a pain.” Robert joked, nudging Henry’s ribs with his elbow. “Henry came way too close to breaking his nose on the coffee table the other day because Zosi tripped him.” 

“Oh, do not be so mean, Robert, Zosi did not mean to do it, he was just excited!” Henry protested. 

“You would not have been saying that if you had broken your nose.” Robert argued. 

 

\---

 

“Sure I would.” Henry retorted, shaking his head. He knew he was nowhere near as hard on the little grim as he should have been, but Zosi was just so sweet how could Henry possibly be annoyed with him? 

Edward nodded along. 

He was acting strangely. It was hard to tell, but he was. Even though over the passed few months Henry and Robert had slowly been coaxing him out of his shell- as terrible as it was why it had happened, the few days he had spent living with Henry and Robert had helped that case a lot- Edward was very, very closed off today. He was definitely hiding something, and he was determined to keep it hidden. 

“You are such a pushover when it comes to that grim, I am embarrassed for you.” Robert scolded.

Henry only smiled and leaned against Robert’s side. “And you are plenty strict with him for the both of us.” He decided. 

Robert smirked and kissed his hair. “When Zosi stops listening to you entirely, I am going to laugh at you.”

“He will not do that.” Henry protested. 

“I am quite certain he will, Henry.” Edward decided, green eyes sparkling. 

“We can eat!” Stephen called, placing the last plate on the table. 

Henry got to his feet, Robert close beside him, and walked over to the table. Sat down and looked over what Stephen had cooked. 

Some sort of roast, mashed potatoes and cooked carrots. “Are you celebrating something?” Henry asked. 

“Not really.” Edward replied. “We both work the night of my birthday so a little bit of that, but mainly just the company.” 

Stephen seemed a bit surprised by what Edward said. 

“Anyways, we should eat before supper gets cold!” Edward decided, grabbing the pot of mashed potatoes, reaching across Stephen’s plate to do it. Stephen smacked his hand playfully. 

“Where are your manners, Eddie?” He scolded. 

“Left them behind in Scotland with everything else.” Edward replied with a cheeky grin. “Well, everything else that I did not need, at least.”  He corrected, dishing himself some potatoes and passing the pot across the table to Henry. 

The rest of the meal was soon passed out in generous portions. “Stephen, this all looks wonderful. I would hazard to say you may be better at cooking than Edward!” Robert laughed. 

“Well, for one, I actually like to cook.” Stephen explained. “Edward does not.” 

“I thought you told me you did like cooking, Edward?” Henry asked, puzzled. 

Edward’s green eyes went wide as he was put on the spot, a slice of the roast frozen halfway to his mouth. 

There was silence for a few seconds. “I do like to cook. But Stephen likes it more and always puts me on boring things like mashing potatoes so he thinks I do not like to.” He explained, finally putting the bite in his mouth. 

Okay now, given the look Stephen and Edward were exchanging, it was all-too clear something fishy was going on, and the pair had not bothered to get on the same page and get their stories straight before beginning to tell the lie. That was just lazy. If you were going to invite people to your house only to lie to them, you should make sure you were telling the same lie. 

Why were they lying, anyways? What did they have to hide?

Henry glanced over at Robert, to try and see if he was noticing this as well. 

Received a not-unappreciated kiss pressed to his temple. “They are hiding something.” Robert murmured in his ear. 

Henry nodded. It was really weird that they would bother lying about something though. 

He should forget it and enjoy dinner. Soon they would be home and from the way Robert had been acting, he had something else planned for when they got home. 

Henry ought not dampen the mood by dwelling on Edward’s apparent lies. “So, do you still work at that bar we found you a- ow!” 

Robert elbowed him in the ribs. Hard. Henry was confused for a moment, until he remembered what  _ else  _ had happened the night Robert and Henry had met Edward at work. “Shit, sorry, Edward, I-”

“No, I do not.” Edward said quickly, cutting off Henry’s apology. “I punched a man who was harassing my coworker. He complained to the manager. The manager was not impressed by my actions. My coworker was though.” 

He seemed more upset that Robert had reminded Henry not to bring up that night than he was by the fact that Henry had brought it up. 

“So where do you work now?” 

Edward snorted. “In a bar down the street.” He said. 

“Oh. You did not go far, I see.” Henry remarked. 

“No point. I like working in bars, it is like working at home.” 

“Like you like cooking, because it is like working at home?” Henry asked, almost too pointed. 

Edward looked up at him in surprise. “Yes. I answered that before.” 

Dinner was understandably awkward after that practical accusation. 

But after Henry found out what Robert had planned for the evening… he was much less sad that they left Edward and Stephen’s early. 

 

\---

 

“Edward!” Stephen called, poking his head into the living room. “I have something for you!” 

“Stephen, I told you not to get me anything.” Edward protested. 

“Did you ever think I would listen to you?” Stephen asked, rolling his eyes. “Come in here, I have a cupcake for you and I  _ will  _ eat it for you if you do not hurry.” 

“You did not make yourself one?” 

“No one ever said a man could not eat two cupcakes.” Stephen told him. 

Edward knew better than to play games when it came to Stephen and sweets. He got to his feet and ran into the kitchen. 

“Come and sit with me.” Stephen encouraged. “Eat your cake.” 

Edward did not need convincing for that. He blew out the candle stuck in the top of the green-iced cupcake and dug in. 

“Did you make them yourself?” He asked. Stephen nodded as he finished his own mouthful. 

“They are really good.” 

“I am glad to hear that!” Stephen grinned, wiping green frosting off the side of Edward’s mouth. “You are getting it everywhere, though. I am pretty sure it has to be in your mouth for you to eat it.” 

“That would make sense.” Edward agreed, licking his lips and taking another bite of the cake. 

He must not have eaten as much for dinner as he had thought, or he was just very hungry today, and soon he had eaten the last bite of the cake. 

“Alright, now you can open your gift.” Stephen decided. “And do not fret, I got it second hand.” He held a brightly wrapped package out to Edward. 

“I still cannot believe you went and got me something when you made me  _ promise  _ not to give you anything.” Edward complained. 

“Well, the person I got it from will not want it back, so, you poor thing, you will have to get a birthday present. Tell me, this will be what? The third one someone other than your brother gives you in your entire life? And that is guessing high. Take the present.” 

Edward had to admit, he was curious. Too curious to refuse to take the package from Stephen and carefully tear it open. 

It was a book. A very big, very heavy book. Titled  _ The Origins of Species by Means of Natural Selection _ , by a man named Charles Darwin. Edward had heard of it before. “I got it from the family of a man who was interested in the subject, none of his remaining relatives wanted it when he died. I know you had meant to study biology and that this is sort of a mix between that and natural history, but I thought you might like it anyways.” 

Edward swallowed. It may have been an old book, worn at the spine with folded down pages, but it was  _ his.  _ Not a borrowed book from his brother, it was  _ his. _

He set it carefully on the table and threw his arms around Stephen. “Thank you…” 

“So do you like it?” Stephen asked, returning Edward’s tight embrace. 

“I love it.” 

“I am glad to hear that.” Stephen said with a smile, pressed a kiss that tasted like frosting to the blond’s lips. “I had hoped you would.”

“I still cannot believe you got me something though. But it is admittedly harder to be annoyed that you did now.” 

“Good. I will listen next year.” 

“If I had to place a bet, my money would be against that.” Edward remarked. 

Stephen only smiled. 

 

Late, very late that night, when Stephen was asleep, Edward found himself staring at the ceiling. 

It did not feel right to go to bed yet. 

“Hey, Henry,” he began, nearly silent, knowing he was talking to no one. He sat up slowly, leaned against the headboard. “I hope you had a good birthday. I am sorry I was not there to spend it with you. I should have been. But I could not be. Actually I was there for a bit. But either way, you seemed to be happy with Robert and I am glad you have him to keep you smiling now, even if I do not like him. 

“I still miss you a lot. Insanely a lot. But in a way, I think I am happier than I have ever been, even while missing you. I have finally found the happiness you always wanted me to, but it was not the society.” He looked down fondly at where Stephen lay sleeping beside him. “I am sad that you saw me without knowing it was me, though.

“I suppose there is always next year to tell you. I love you, Henry. Happy birthday.” 

Satisfied that he could now get some sleep, Edward curled back up and closed his eyes.


	2. Dr. Plans and Mr. Curious

_September 2nd, 1863_

“I hate them.” Edward spat, throwing the door to the brothers’ shared room open. “And it is even because they hate me too.”

“Edward?” Henry looked up from the textbook he was reading through. “Who hates you?”

“Our parents.” Edward flopped down onto the bed. His old dress shirt was half unbuttoned. “Which is fine by me. I hate them too.”

Henry stared at his brother with wide red eyes. “Edward, did you not listen to anything last Sunday? If you hate someone-"

“Twin brother or not, Henry, spout one bible verse at me and I am going to punch you. I barely restrained from punching mother last time she did it, I do not have the energy to resist again.” Edward warned, sitting up to glare at Henry. “I want to leave. I am sick of this place you are the only good thing about Edinburgh. Nay, the only good thing about Scotland as a whole! I hate this place!”

“Edward, we are far too young to be leaving.” Henry reminded him.

“Maybe I will run away. Get to London and pretend to be a really short sixteen year old.”

“Edward, you are a really short twelve year old. That plan will not work.” Henry told him. “Besides, what would I do if you ran away?”

“Not fall off rooftops.” Edward suggested. “I want to get out of here, Henry, you have no idea how much I want to leave.”

“I know you do. But we have to do it smart.” Henry told him, biting the end of the quill he had in his hand and scrawling a note into the margin of the book he was reading. “Running away will just cause more problems, and besides. If you ran, I would not be able to go with you, and I would miss you! What if we never saw each other again!” Henry asked, setting his book to the side and walking over to lay down on his brother’s bed, right beside Edward. “Remember that plan we discussed once? About London?”

“We discuss a lot of plans.”

“You could just say no.” Henry said mildly.

“Fine. No, I do not remember.” Edward said with a laugh. “Fill me in.” He prompted, brushing his brown hair out of his face. He needed a haircut, his hair was currently long enough to cover his bright green eyes.

“Alright. Remember we talked about making a sanctuary for people like you and I and anyone else in London?” Henry asked.

“That was just a silly dream. We have no way to do it, Henry.”

“Ah, but Eddie, you forget our inheritance.” Henry said with a smile.

“Do not call me Eddie. And I think you mean _your_ inheritance. I will not see a penny when our parents die. They-"

“Hate you. I know, you have stressed it quite a bit lately. So, my inheritance. It is still something. We can use whatever profit father’s bank rakes in to make that sanctuary instead.” Henry explained.

Curious, and now sufficiently baited, Edward turned to look at his brother. “Tell me more.”

“You were part of this plan, too, you know parts of it!” Henry told him.

“I forget.” Edward replied. “I know we talked about a scientific facility, and that I would be allowed in there but that seemed obvious, if I helped make it.”

Henry smiled and shook his head. “You missed the point, Eddie-"

“Do not call me Eddie.”

“- The point was anyone would be allowed in. Rich, poor, strong, weak, man or woman, anyone. That is why it was a sanctuary.” Henry reminded him. “And that includes people like you. Though I hope there are not more like you. It is unnecessarily cruel for mother and father to treat you like they do.”

“You are telling _me.”_  Edward laughed, stretching out a bit more on the bed. His feet hung off the edge. His right sock had a hole in it, by the big toe, same with the heel of his left sock. Henry was fairly sure his shoes were in the same condition.

“Henry! Are you ready to go?” His father called.

Edward sighed. “That is my cue to go, before I get assigned cho-"

“Edward, you too!”

“What the fuck?” Edward looked down at himself. Henry winced at his brother’s cursing. “I am never ready to go, I never go anywhere!”

“Here.” Henry got up, rushed to his closet and dug out a nice, clear white shirt, black pants and a black jacket. “You may have to roll up the pants-"

“Oh, quit rubbing it in!”

“Sorry. Anyways, but they are nicer than what you are wearing right now. And hurry!” Henry threw the clothes at his brother, and then a spare cloak. It was the one that had came in too short for Henry, but fit Edward almost perfectly. Edward liked it a lot more than he would admit. “There may be a hat in there too, if you look, but I am not sure about that.”

“I am sure I can deal without a hat.” Edward decided, throwing his own worn clothes into a pile and pulling on the ones Henry had thrown at him.

“Boys, hurry up!” Their father called.

“Edward still has to get dressed to go out, father!” Henry called back. Tied a tie on for his brother, he doubted Edward knew the first thing about tying one. “And you really should have a hat. Especially with hair the way yours is right now.”

“I am only embarrassing mother and father, and it is their own fault my hair is this long.” Edward decided, and ran down the hall to the door. Henry grabbed his cloak and hat and chased after him.

“Oh, good, you two are ready to go. Edward, roll up your pants before you step on the edges.” Their mother instructed.

Edward rolled his eyes and bent down to do so. “If I had nice clothes that fit me, this would not be a problem.” He muttered.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, mother dearest.” Edward said with the most forced smile he could muster. He stood up after both pant legs no longer fell to the floor by his heels, and grabbed his shoes. Pulled those on as well.

“Well, we should go.” Their father decided.

“Where are we going?” Edward asked. “And why am I going?”

“Are you complaining? You could stay here and help ou-"

“No, I am not complaining. I just want to know where we are going!” Edward replied.

“To a dinner. And you are coming because the host wanted to meet both of you.” Henry Jekyll Senior explained. “He is a doctor looking into the science behind identical twins and when he heard you two were in fact identical twins said he wanted to see both of you.”

“Do I have to pretend to be sickly or did you use some other excuse for why I never go anywhere?” Edward asked quietly.

“What was that?”

“Nothing!” Edward gave another smile, though the whole family had heard what he said. But no one would press the issue.

“Do not embarrass us, Edward. That includes keeping your immature comments to yourself.”  

“Oh yes, I, the one calling out the injustice in this house, am the immature one. Not the ones creating the injustice and acting like a bunch of children over five minutes. Right.” Edward pushed passed all three of them and left the house.

Henry shrugged. “I agree with him.” He also left the house.

Edward was leaning against the wall of the house, arms crossed. “I changed my mind, I do not want to go and put up with that all night.” He decided.

“As much as you are right, you were making nasty comments.”

“I did not say anything that was not true.” Edward said stubbornly.

“I know. Now come on, come sit with me. Ignore them.”

“Easier said than done.”

“I know.” Henry assured him. “I know it is hard, but you can manage it. You ignore me all of the time!”

“You do not get violent when I do not listen.” Edward reminded him.

“Both of you! Get in the carriage I thought you would already be in there!” Their father scolded. Both boys scurried off to do as they were told. Soon enough, their parents joined them.

Edward did not say a word the whole way there. At least it meant he was not getting into trouble for mouthing off again, but it was actually more concerning to Henry than if he had been getting into trouble. Edward was uncharacteristically quiet. He just sat and stared at his scuffed up shoes with the worn out soles.

“We should get your hair cut.” Their mother remarked to Henry’s brother. Edward said nothing.

 

\---

 

“Mister Jekyll, it is good to see you again.” The man at the door had black hair and blue eyes. Shook the brother’s father’s hand. “Missus Jekyll, it is lovely to meet you.” He shook their mother’s hand as well.

Then turned to the twins and smiled. “And you two must be Master Henry and Master Edward. Although I am afraid I do not know which of you is which just yet.”

“I am Henry, and this is my brother Edward. And you are?” Henry asked, holding his hand out.  

“Doctor Macleod.” The man replied. “But you may call me Frederick if you prefer.” He shook Henry’s hand, and then held it out to Edward. It took Edward a moment to realize the courtesy was being extended to him and to shake the doctor’s hand.

“Just call me Edward. None of this master stuff. It is weird and no one calls me that.” Edward said. From the look he got from his father, he should not have added the last sentence. But Frederick smiled.

“Alright then, Edward. And you, Master Henry? Which do you prefer?”

“Just Henry is fine with me.”

The doctor nodded, stepped a little bit closer to the twins. “Truly, you two are remarkable. Henry, you were born first, correct?”

“Does it matter? We are twins.” Edward said defensively. Normally that statement was followed by him being referred to as the youngest for the rest of the night, which stung.

“It does not really, Edward, it would just make sense with him being taller than you. It is typically so.” Frederick explained. “With twins, it is typically so that one is more dominant within the womb than the other, and is typically bigger and healthier at birth. The size difference remains true for most, if not all, of their lives. And often, the healthier and stronger is in a better position in the womb and is born first.”

Edward nodded. His parents had told him he had been more sickly than Henry when he was born. “Well, you are right. Henry was born first. Only by five minutes, though.”

Doctor Macleod seemed to get that it may have been a sore spot for Edward. “It is very interesting that your eyes are so different, though. Typically, twins, well, identical twins at least, would be identical right down to eye colour. Were you born with the same colour, do you know?”

Their father cleared his throat. “They were both born with eyes similar to Henry’s. Henry’s went more red around the same time that Edward’s went green. I believe they were around two at the time.”

Doctor Macleod nodded. Took another step forwards and this time Edward was made uncomfortable by how close this practical stranger was to him and took a big step backwards. “Some space might be nice, Doctor. I am a person, not a science experiment.”

It slipped out before he could really think about it. His father let a breath hiss out between his teeth. Even Henry gasped.

But the doctor just laughed. “Quite right you are, Edward, my apologies! I did not mean to make you uncomfortable, I cannot imagine my analyzing you has helped. Come, Jekylls, sit down and we can eat. No more talking about you and Henry in that manner without both of your permissions, I promise. And please, Edward, my dear boy, call me Frederick.”

Despite himself, Edward suddenly decided he liked Frederick. He followed the doctor into the dining room. His stomach had given up on growling an hour ago and was just cramped a bit painfully by now. Whatever stew he had eaten for lunch had clearly not had much in it. Go figure. It was what the staff ate and they never ate well.

“Have a seat, please, make yourselves at home. Dinner will be served shortly.” The doctor explained.

“So what is your field of study, D- Frederick?” Edward asked curiously. He had always been interested in science, but where Henry found interest in the chemical world, Edward enjoyed it much less.

But what Frederick had been talking about sounded interesting.

“Well, in general, I am a biologist, but lately, I study cases very much like that of you and your brother. Myself and several other biologists across the world are trying to uncover what may cause the birth of twins that are entirely- or in your case, almost entirely- identical.” Frederick explained. “Is there something in specific you want to know about? I would be happy to share.”

“Doctor Macleod, there is no need to entertain his questioning-"

“If Edward is curious, it is practically my responsibility to tell him what he would like to know. How else do more people become interested in the field?” Frederick cut the brother’s father off. “Besides. I quite enjoy talking about my field of study. If your son wishes to give me a reason to discuss it, I would be a fool to turn it down.”

Edward found himself liking Frederick even more. He glanced at Henry, who smiled at him.

“Well, ask him about his studies!” His brother whispered. “I can tell you want to.”

Edward nodded and turned back to Frederick. Frederick smiled at him. “Is there something you would like to hear about in specific? If I do not know the answer, I will find someone who does and get an answer to you as soon as I can.”  

Edward’s green eyes were sparkling, he was grinning like a fool. “Tell me about anything you would like to.”

“I suspect you may regret that decision, Edward.”

“I will not.”

Frederick laughed. “You say that now.” But he began anyways.

Despite how hungry he had been before they sat down, Edward almost forgot they were there for dinner. He knew there would be hell to pay, he was not supposed to be making himself important in any way. He was supposed to duck his head, stay quiet unless spoken to, and eat his dinner.

But every time he thought he had reached his last question, Frederick’s answer left him with three more. Edward was used to Henry’s field of interest, which held no solid answers, only theories yet to be proven wrong, but with what Frederick was talking about, which by his own admittance the study closer to medicine out of the two distinct fields biology had split into, specifically physiology, had so much proof and they knew so much. Frederick had already told him about cells and how far they had gotten into the study of twins, which was actually quite far now that the knew about cells and how humans actually came into existence, and Edward found himself hanging onto the doctor’s every word. Henry was smiling and listening attentively, throwing in a question of his own every once and a while, but it was very much his brother running the conversation.

A fact which did not have their parents smiling. But Edward did not even notice until it was time for his family to leave.

“If you have any more questions, Edward, you are welcome to come and see me again. Perhaps I could even bring you down to my lab someday.” The doctor offered.

Edward beamed and nodded, starstruck. “I would like that.” He admitted.

Frederick smiled. “I am glad to hear it!” He turned to the boys’ parents. “You have two very bright young men there, you ought to be very proud of them.” He remarked.

“Yes,” Henry Jekyll Senior did not seem proud. “Exceedingly.”

“I am sorry we did not get much of a chance to talk, but I am sure we will have another chance.” Frederick seemed to miss the displeasure in Mister Jekyll’s voice and expression, but for the first time since getting to the doctor’s, Edward did not.

He gulped.

 

“If your brother can know how to behave around adults at five years old, by twelve you should be able to as well!” His father snapped. They had travelled home in silence, but Edward had been able to sense that it only gave time for his father’s anger to simmer and get worse. And now, back at home, that anger was about to explode. “You were supposed to stay quiet and speak to when spoken! That is your role in this family!”

“Why is that, when Henry is allowed to speak whenever?”

“Because he is the eldest and it is-”

“That means _nothing!_ If the doctor could know us for five minutes and realize that neither one of us is more or less important, why have you not noticed over twelve fucking years?” Edward demanded. Henry winced. Edward's language was clearly bothering him.

“I have had enough of your mouth, young man!”

Edward saw his father’s hand move and tried to duck, but was not even close to fast enough to avoid the strike that hit the side of his face and sent him stumbling. His head started spinning, there was a ringing in his ear and he was pretty sure he felt tears slip down his cheeks before he had a chance to stop them.

“Edward!” Henry tried to rush to his side but was stopped by their parents.

Vision blurry with tears, Edward barely managed to orient himself and walk down the hall to the brother’s shared room before being forced to go there.

Fell onto his bed. The entire side of his face was hot and stinging. He clutched a hand to it like that would help, and finally allowed himself to actually cry. From the pain in his face or the pain in his chest, he was not sure.

 

Edward was no stranger to pain. Everyone in the house knew that. He had tripped and broken his nose when he was only five years old, and this was far from the first time their father had struck him. He had fallen off of roofs and out of windows before.

But he was still crying softly, a hand pressed against the side of his face. His ears were still ringing, his head had just stopped spinning a few minutes ago. The whole side of his face was throbbing, and his head ached.

Henry walked in and gently moved his hand, pressed a bag of ice into it. “That should help.” He murmured, pressed Edward’s hand and the bag of ice against the side of his face again.

Pulled his brother into a tight hug. “He should not have done that, I… I cannot believe… you were well within your rights to be curious and stick up for yourself, why would he-"

“Henry?” Edward said softly. Talking hurt. He was trembling. Tears ran freely down his cheeks.

“Yes Edward?”

“Could you… could you tell me about the plan? For the Society?”


	3. Carnations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we're mixing things up here, with the chapter name and the fact that this is about 500 words shorter than my normal goal. Therefore, it's time for your official warning! This story is scattered across the timeline and will often not be made of totally normal chapters. Hope that's alright!

“Mister Hyde?”

The blond turned to look at him. He was strangely dressed up today, and by that Jekyll meant he actually had a suit jacket on. Which he had not removed upon entering the room.

And a flower on his lapel that had caught Jekyll’s attention. It was a curiously specific flower.

“Yes, Doctor Jekyll?” Hyde asked, chewing on the end of his quill, like he always did. At this point Jekyll just had a quill in his office with the end all chewed up and he handed it back to Hyde every time.

“Who gave you that flower?” Jekyll asked. Either Hyde had no idea what it typically meant, or he was shoving the biggest fuck you to any conservative person and copper he could run into.

“Does it matter? It is just a flower. Suits my colour scheme. Besides, you were giving me a hard time about dressing nicer for work, the flower is part of it.” Hyde replied.

“Was it Stephen?” Stephen was the type to know and send his boyfriend out into the world, ignorant of the joke he had just made.

“Does it matter?” Hyde asked pointedly, raising an eyebrow. “It is just a flower, why do you care? You are being quite nosy, Doctor Jekyll.”

“Because you have any right to talk about being nosy.” Jekyll argued. “You are the most nosy person I know!”

“Nay, I think you mean your co-founder. He is _constantly_ up in everyone’s business. He does not like it when I return in kind, though. I wonder why that is?” Hyde asked.

“Hyde, what did you say to Robert?” Jekyll asked, frowning.

“Listen, Doctor, Lanyon may be the nosiest person I know, but I am _better_ at being nosy.” Hyde replied. “He keeps his oversized nose out of my business now.”

“You cannot just say those sorts of things about Robert and expect me to let you. He is, by rights, your boss as well.” Jekyll warned.

Hyde grinned. “What makes you think the fact that you are my boss keeps me from saying things behind your back?” He asked.

Jekyll sighed. “I am not as surprised by that as I wish I was.” He decided.

“It is behind your back, so at least you will never know what I said!” Hyde laughed.

“I think you have a false idea of what makes things better, Hyde.” Jekyll complained.

“Would you rather I say it to your face?” Hyde asked, eyes sparkling.

“No.” Jekyll confirmed. “But seriously. Who gave you the flower? It is a strange sort of flower to give to someone of late.”

“How do you know I did not get it myself?” Hyde asked. “It is a strange sort of flower, I have a strange sort of taste.” He suggested, scrawling a messy signature onto a paper, smearing the ink as he dragged the rest of his hand across it. “Shit.”

“How many years writing with that hand, and you still do not remember to lift your hand?” Jekyll asked.

“Oh, be quiet.” Hyde wiped the ink off his left hand on what Jekyll hope against hope was not something he owned, and signed the paper again. “And why do you care so much about who gave me flowers? Who do you _think_ would have given me flowers, Doctor Jekyll. It is not so hard to figure out.”

“So it was Stephen.” Jekyll realized.

“Again I ask. Who the hell else did you think would give me flowers?” Hyde asked, rolling his eyes. “I really did not think I would have to spell it out for you.”

Jekyll only smiled. So Hyde probably did not know what Stephen had gotten him to wear. Jekyll probably should tell him. Not that he thought the blond would actually care, but it would be courteous to let him know.

After his shift. It was not like anyone in this building would say anything to him. “It is a very nice colour.”

“Yes it is.” Hyde agreed. “Now stop asking me about it, unless you would like to get quizzed about Emma. You are engaged now, hmm?”

“Yes we are. And that really would not bother me. Unlike you, I am not ashamed to talk about people I love. I do not know why you had to play a game about the flower, it is quite sweet of Stephen.”

“Yeah it is because you like words like “sweet" and “romantic" too much, just like Rachel, and I already got an earful of it. Last time I wear a flower here.” Hyde decided. “This whole society is full of mushy gushy romantic bullshit.”

“If he bought you flowers, I would say Stephen does not think that romance is “mushy gushy bullshit”, Hyde.”

“What do you care what Stephen thinks romance is?” Hyde asked.

“Because you had best quit calling something Stephen believes in bullshit, Mister Hyde.” Jekyll advised.

“Oh keep your nose out of my relationship, Doctor Jekyll.” Hyde complained.

“I am just trying to help you, Hyde.” Henry smiled.

“ _I_ , my dear Doctor, am passed the point where I have to fake things in my relationship.” Hyde explained. “And I am not one for romance. Stephen is.”

“So why are you wearing the flower?”

Hyde frowned. “I never said I was not sentimental.” He said softly.

“And what is the difference?” Jekyll asked, raising an eyebrow. “You have pinned a flower to your jacket entirely because someone you love gave it to you. Sounds like you think it was a sweet gesture, too.”

“Sentimental sounds less pink and rosy.” Hyde replied with a smile. Handed Jekyll the paper he was filling out. “You need to sign that. Besides. I do everything I can to make sure I finish off my day in… a very pleasant way.”

Jekyll gagged.

“If I have to wear a flower to do so, so be it. And grow up, Jekyll. At least when I want to mess around before bed no one is getting knocked up! You have to run that risk-"

“I am going to fire you on the spot if you say one more word about my sex life, Hyde.” Jekyll warned.  

“Good idea. Cannot be giving you ideas, the last thing London needs is more Henry Jekylls!” Hyde laughed. “You stay as boring and prudish as ever, okay?”

Jekyll rolled his eyes. “You are lucky the lodgers have forced me to give up caring what people say about me, Hyde. It is probably the reason why you still have this job.”

“Oh, and here I thought it was just that I was fantastic company.” Hyde pretended to pout for a second. “Anyways, I finished the paperwork you gave me.” He pointed out. “Got any more?”

Jekyll looked around. “No, for once we are actually ahead of time in this office.” He decided.

“So, what would you like me to do now?” Hyde asked, closing the ink and sticking it and his quill back in the drawer, and filing the last folder away in its spot.

“You sound eager to get out of here.” Jekyll remarked. “You still work for several more hours.”

Hyde sighed. “I know.”

“What are the lodgers doing this time?” Jekyll asked.

“I did not-”

“I know they are doing something, and I know you want to be part of it.”

Hyde smiled. “Maijabi is doing a really cool ritual. I do not know if he needs- or wants, after last time- any help, but I want to see how it works!”

Jekyll smiled. Looked around the office again. All the papers were done, the office was clean. “Very well, you can go. Do not disturb Doctor Maijabi if he is working, Hyde.”

Hyde beamed and got to his feet, stumbling a bit before getting his cane properly under him.

“Is your ankle playing up?” Jekyll asked.

“Quite a bit.” Hyde agreed, pushing the window open. Dropped his cane out of it without looking to see if anyone was below him, and climbed out onto the ledge before turning around.

“Oh Hyde, I just wanted to check. You do know what that flower Stephen gave you typically _means,_ right?”

Hyde straightened the green carnation pinned to his coat. “Do you think I would wear it if I did not?” He gave Jekyll a cheeky grin, and climbed down the wall.

 

\---

 

Okay, so Rachel had told him what it meant about two hours before Jekyll had tried to tell him. He technically had not lied though. By the time Jekyll tried to tell him, he already knew. It was just not why he was wearing it.

And he planned to bug Stephen about it when he got home.

Which would be soon. He had a short shift today, and could leave in an hour.

And harass Stephen for buying him flowers that literally proclaimed to all of London that he was fucking a man. Stupid romantic jerk.

So he messed about downstairs for an hour and rushed out the door. Hopped up onto the roofs and ran off to SoHo.

Threw open the door to the apartment. “Stephen?”

“Edward, you are home early!” Stephen smiled, walked over and wrapped his arms around the blond’s waist, pulled him into a kiss.

“Yes, it was a short shift. So, Stephen…” He smirked, gave the brunet a kiss. “Green carnations.”

Stephen grinned. “Someone told you, hmm?”

“I got a few strange looks at work and Rachel told me. Not that I mind, of course.” Hyde confirmed. “You are a real big jerk and lucky I love you so much, Steph.”

“You tolerate me at best, Eddie.” Stephen laughed.

“If that was true, I would not be wearing the flower you gave me that proclaims to all of London that I am gay.” Hyde retorted.

“I suppose that's true.” Stephen agreed. “Well, I do not want to cook tonight, and you never want to cook, so I was thinking we could go out.” Stephen decided.

“Sounds good to me!” Hyde agreed. Threw on his cloak.

Stephen kissed his cheek and grabbed his coat. “Well, come on then!”

Hyde grinned and stepped out the door. “Where to?” He asked.

“You pick. Something nicer than a bar though.” Stephen said quickly. Hyde nodded.

“What about that place we went to a few weeks ago? It was nice.” He remarked.

“Yeah, I liked that place, we can go there.” Stephen agreed.

“Good.” Hyde went to run off down the road, but Stephen caught his shoulder.

“We have all the time in the world, Edward, no need to run off. Just walk with me.” He suggested.

Hyde looked confused, but did not argue. He fell back in step with Stephen, pressed just a little closer to him than he should have been, but still far enough that nearly no one would notice. “So, what is up?”

“Nothing, Eddie. I just wanted to take a walk with you, rather than you running off ahead. Or is that not allowed anymore?” Stephen asked teasingly, one eyebrow raised.

“That is fine, I suppose.” Hyde agreed. “I just figured it may mean you had something to talk about.”

“Nope, it is just a lovely day for a nice walk with you.”

It was not like he could say Stephen was wrong. It was a beautiful evening, the sun was just starting to kiss the horizon, making London look like it was glowing. It was warm, but there was a cool breeze in the air.

Truly, a lovely evening.

“So, how was work?” Stephen asked. “Besides Rachel spoiling my game.”

“Well, Henry was quite concerned that I may not know what I was wearing, and I did a lot of very boring paperwork considering I was only there for four hours.”

“Why only four hours?”

“Next month Henry is going to need me in for more than regular shifts, so he is feeling bad and giving me shorter shifts and less shifts this month.” Hyde explained. “So I will be out of the house a lot next month. I told Julia that the other day while you were getting drinks and flirting with the bartender-"

“Was not.”

“And it sounds like she may have made plans for you two already, so do not plan on too much extra free time.” Hyde warned.

“That would be Julia for you. And seriously, I was not flirting with the bartender!” Stephen protested.

“You were not? Shit, I should have! He was cute.” Hyde laughed. “I literally could not care less if you flirted with the bartender and if you as me if I am sure about that and give me that look you have been giving me for a month, I _will_ smack you.”

“Most people do not find genuine concern insulting, Edward.”

“I am not jealous of the fucking bartender, goddamn.” Hyde rolled his eyes. “You are taking this to the extreme now.”

“Better safe than sorry, Edward.”

Hyde stuck his tongue out.

“Somehow that is more insulting than just flipping me off.”

“That is the point, Steph. Now come on, I am starving!” Hyde complained.

“Oh, relax. The diner is right there.” Stephen assured him. “It is not a seedy bar, so we do not even have to leave SoHo this time.”

“I guess that is true.” Hyde agreed. He picked up the pace a little bit and was soon walking into the building.

The gentleman who seated them did not look too thrilled to see them. Hyde retaliated by glaring right back at him.

“This is your fault.” He murmured to Stephen.

“What did I do this time?” Stephen asked, taking his seat.

“Gave me the flower.”

“Okay, you win.” Stephen agreed. “It is my fault the waitstaff hate us, but you look very cute.”

“You just made it so much worse!” Hyde complained, burying his face in his hands, blushing. “I am not cute why do you insist on calling me cute?”

“Because you are incredibly cute, and it bothers you so much.” Stephen replied. “If you stop getting so upset about it, I will probably stop saying it.”

Hyde sighed. “Probably?”

“I do like telling the truth.” Stephen admitted. “And the truth is you are very cute. Now pick your head up, quit blushing, and decide what you want to drink. Someone will be back shortly.”

 

“Alright, come on, I am sleepy, we should go home.” Hyde murmured, cheek rested against Stephen’s shoulder.

“I can tell you are tired, Eddie, you do not have to tell me that. You are half asleep on top of me.” Stephen told him, pushing the blond off his shoulder. “Come on, stand up, off we go, back home.” He prompted.

Hyde got to his feet and walked towards the door.

“Yes, that is fine, I have the check!” Stephen called.

“I am glad, I think I have about two pounds to my name.” Hyde replied with a sly grin. “So it is a good thing you have money.”

Stephen rolled his eyes and went to pay, then walked back over to Hyde. “Well, we should go.” He walked Hyde out the door. The blond giggled and pressed a quick kiss to Stephen’s cheek the moment they were out of the building.

“Careful, someone might see you!”

“Says the man who gave me a green carnation."

“They can't arrest us for a flower.” Stephen reminded him. “They can arrest us for what you just did.”

Hyde sighed. “I hate Soho. So stuck up and rule abiding, it is terrible.”

Stephen laughed, smiling down at the blond. “That it is. But we are in Soho, so you had best just adjust.”

The little blond pulled a face. “Oh, suck it up, we will be home in no time.”

“I suppose. But really, Steph, I have to ask, why did you buy the flower?”

“Wait until we get home and you will know.” Stephen replied. “I told you, I tell the truth. Including that.”

He tapped the flower and Hyde blushed. “Well then, no time to lose… you have a lot of proving your point to do.”


	4. The Lecturer

****

_ January 17th, 1874 _

“Charles Darwin? Is doing a lecture here?” Henry stopped short. “You serious?”

“Not for your class, Mister Jekyll. He is doing a lecture for those in advanced biology, not those who only just began their classes in the subject. You should stick to your chemistry lessons for the meantime.” Robert Lanyon advised. His voice was chilled, but not angry. It still hurt Henry’s heart. 

“Are you getting in?” Henry asked. 

“I am in medicine, Mister Jekyll, how would I get in?” Lanyon scoffed. “I tend to stick with the lectures for the classes I am actually in.” 

“Edward would have loved to be in that lecture…” Henry remarked softly. “That was exactly up his alley!” 

“Well then he should have been here to see it. No one stopped him.” Robert walked off down the hall. 

Henry sighed and pressed his forehead into the bulletin board. He  _ had _ to get a chance to speak to that man. He  _ had  _ to get a chance to talk to him, for Edward’s sake, whether Robert wanted to be rude about it or not.

 

And that was how he had ended up skipping his morning chemistry course to stand outside the door of the biggest lecture hall. He could not hear what was being discussed, but he had to stay where he was. He could not afford to miss when the lecture got out. He intended to slip inside the moment the doors opened and go and talk to Charles Darwin. He had a book tucked under his arm,  _ Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection. _

Henry had no right to try and sneak into this lecture. But he needed to talk to Mister Darwin. He needed to talk to him for Edward’s sake. The book was not for himself, it was for Edward, when he eventually found his brother again. 

But for now, he was standing silently outside the closed doors of the lecture hall, praying he would not encounter anyone who knew which class he was meant to be in. 

He just had to get in and talk to Mister Darwin. He just had to. 

The door creaking open startled him. A student stepped out, and before the concentration of people could get too high, Henry slipped inside. 

It was still very busy. People milling around, a crowd around the stage where Charles Darwin must have been. 

Henry crept over to the crowd. Standing on his tip toes he could still not see the man. He could hear the faint murmur of conversation, voices he did not recognize. Murmurs of evolution and other concepts he had just began to graze in his studies. Henry tried to pay attention, he really did. But he could barely hear and he did not understand most of it. Instead, he stood and waited for the crowd to thin out, waiting to manage to see Darwin. 

It was a long time waiting. Everyone wanted a moment to talk to the man, it seemed. 

Henry began to zone out… 

“Young man?” A gentle voice asked, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Henry jumped and turned to face the man who had touched his shoulder. “Mister Darwin! Oh, I am sorry, I did not mean to hold you up at all…” Henry brushed himself off as a nervous tick. 

“No worries at all, young man. What is your name? Are you a biologist?” Darwin asked. 

“Henry Jekyll.” Henry replied. “And no, actually, I am studying chemistry.” He explained. 

“Chemistry?” Darwin looked a little confused. “Well, Henry, may I ask why you waited to see me, if you are not studying biology or natural history? I am flattered, do not mistake me, but I must ask why.” 

Henry looked down at the ground, and the book under his arm. His toes twitched. “My… my brother. He… was very interested in the sorts of subjects you study.” He explained. “He… he could not be here today… he is… gone.” 

“I am sorry for your loss.” Darwin said gently.

“Oh, I am sorry I made it sound like that, he is not dead. He ran away from home. My parents were horrible to him. But… you do not care about that.” Henry realized. 

“It is fine, my dear boy.” Darwin told him. “What was your brother like?” He asked. 

“My brother was… smart, and crafty… he did not really have a lot to focus on, a lot to really look forward to. But… he… Well, he was always sort of interested in science, we both were, and our parents got invited to a dinner with Doctor Frederick Macleod.” Henry explained. 

“I know what he studies, I have heard of his work. Twins. Are you and your brother twins, Henry?” Darwin asked.

“Yes… Edward is my twin brother.” He agreed. “Doctor Macleod fascinated him with everything he was studying. It was… it was the first time Edward really found something… something that interested him. And someone interested in him. Doctor Macleod did not see Edward and I as the youngest and the oldest, the spare and the heir, he saw us as twins, equals in every way. He was the first one. And now... I… I am here studying chemistry. He was supposed to be here with me, studying biology.” Henry shook his head. “But our parents… he was the spare, they did not care about him. He could not take it, the neglect, the abuse, and he ran. About five years ago.” 

Darwin nodded. “Your brother sounds like an interesting fellow.” He remarked. “I would have liked to meet him.” 

“Perhaps someday you will.” Henry suggested. 

“I would like that.” Darwin agreed. 

“Mister Darwin, are you coming?” 

Henry jumped when he realized that was his professor’s voice. 

“Mister Jekyll! What are you doing here, when you were not in my class?” He demanded. 

“Professor, this bright young man was waiting to speak to me. Surely you can excuse an absence for today.” Darwin reasoned. 

The professor sighed. “Just this once, Mister Jekyll. You have a thesis to be working on.” He turned to Darwin. “We will be late for lunch.” 

“Just one moment.” Darwin said. “Henry, I see you have my book there. Would you like it signed?” He offered. 

“Yes, but…” Henry held the book out. Darwin took it carefully. “Not… not addressed to me.” 

Darwin smiled. “They have not changed the spelling of Edward on me, have they?” He asked. 

Henry shook his head. Darwin pulled a pen from his pocket and scrawled a message and a signature on the inside cover of the book. 

Handed it back to Henry. “I hope you find your brother soon.” 

Henry smiled. “Thank you.” 

Only once Henry’s professor had called Darwin again and the natural historian and walked off did Henry read the inscription. 

_ To Edward,  _

_ Never give up learning. Have faith in yourself and stand up for what you believe in. The world has much to offer you, if you know how to look. Learn to look. _

_ Charles Darwin _


	5. Happiest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I have a playlist that I've made for this series, if you were interested, here's the links to it on Spotify, YouTube and a Google Doc if you would rather hear it on your streaming service of choice. However, please note that if you check on Spotify, you're missing one song, it's called Scissorborn, and it's by Ghost Cassette.   
> YouTube:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_uqqTOB0go&list=PLyvM6leI-b2TSrod-HIQM9N_ryA57f1k2  
> Spotify:  
> https://open.spotify.com/user/closetosomethingreal/playlist/4qxP958g5LIlVLkX3PilJj?si=OJ3gY-nkSUWdiMRy0VzxWA  
> Google Doc:  
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fT85It6n-vQUDJc1If1snPSrBtkJKAH4sTn9xljfEb4/edit

The phone was ringing. Robert reached over and gave the brunet beside him a shove. “That will be for you.” He muttered. 

“How do you know?” Henry groaned, lifted his head to reach for the phone. 

It was Robert’s house. Anne was in France again, Emma had Lucy over in the house Henry and she had bought shortly after their wedding. 

“Just answer the phone, love,” Robert said with a soft smile, pulled the blanket back over his head, closed his eyes. 

It was dark, the curtains were pulled, Henry fumbled for the telephone that was jangling at the bedside, picked it up off the receiver, held it to his ear. 

Realized that he really shouldn’t answer it. This was Robert’s house. Henry Jekyll couldn’t be heard on his private phone line first thing in the morning. 

“Go on, say something! It’s not one of my callers.” Robert said. 

“Hello?” Henry said, still a little nervous. If Robert was wrong, that word would be the end of him. 

“Happy birthday, Henry! I beat you to is this year, I think.” A raspy voice, a little weak, thick with a fake cockney accent cried. 

“Edward!” Henry cried. “How did you know to call here? Happy birthday as well, by the way. Thirty-six now, hmm?” 

“I called your house first. Lucy was not happy with me waking her up, let me tell you that.” Edward laughed. “Anyways, yes yes, you doubtlessly feel even more of the weight of the world falling on your shoulders now that you are a whole year older. And if you do not have any plans with the man who’s bed you are currently lying in for tonight, I was going to ask you to join Steph, Julia and I for dinner.” He said. “I am terribly busy today and will unfortunately not be able to be anywhere near the soc- Stephen! I am on the phone move your fucking hand you prick! Later!”

“Edward, I really do not want to hear about where Stephen just put his hand, please finish your thought.” 

“Dinner, that’s really the whole thing. Got a full day of who-knows-what, Stephen loves his extravagant plans- and apparently ignoring what I just told him! I will tie those hands behind your back, Mister- wait, you would like that.”

“Edward!” 

“Right! So you will come to dinner? Robert is invited too, obviously, but I guess I should have mentioned that when I brought up the invitation. Stephen! Seriously! Oh, what now you are in on it too, Julia? God can I not have one conversation with my brother?” He said. 

“We will be there, Edward. Now go… have your fun.” Henry hung up the phone. 

Turned back to Robert. “How did you know it was him?” He asked. 

“You told me the story of you two racing out of bed just to wish each other a happy birthday about a million times when we were young. Who the hell else would be calling my house at seven-thirty in the morning on May twenty-fifth.” Robert said. “Every other human being in the world has the decency to wait until eight, all of them except your brother.” 

“I suppose that is true.” Henry agreed. “He invited us to dinner tonight, I accepted. Figured neither of us would want to cook, and Stephen is quite the chef. Edward… not so much. So hopefully Stephen is the one cooking.” 

“You always said that you loved your brother’s cooking!” Robert laughed. 

“He loves to try when he is not in one of his moods about my parents. Petunia taught him how to cook while he stayed with the Hydes in Scotland, although he was a much better cook when he was young. So I tell him he is still good at it so that he feels good about it. It is a mostly harmless lie.” Henry said. “Stephen and Julia do it too.”

“I do not know if that is nice of you, or almost cruel.” Robert laughed. “But rest assured, I will not give up your little game if your brother is the one cooking.” He agreed. 

Henry smiled and leaned over to give him a kiss. “Thank you, love.” He said with a smile. “So, I am going to go and make some breakfast, and then I guess I should head to the society for a bit. I will need to borrow a shirt from you, mine spent the night on the floor. As well as my waistcoat, but I can go without that.” 

“I can definitely lend you a shirt, but the society will have to wait until tomorrow. Rachel can look after it for the day.” Robert said with a smile. Hauled himself out of bed and walked over to the dressed, pulled Henry out a shirt and handed it to him. “I have some plans for us. There is no need for you to spend your birthday working.” 

“I always spend my birthday working, Robert.” Henry pointed out, straightened out the trousers he had worn to bed the night before. Spotted one of his socks on the floor and picked it up, pulled it back on. “God, it looks like the morning after in here. How did my sock get way over there?” He asked. 

“You shot it across the room for fun,” Robert said, walking over and picking it up to hand it to him. “I will have the rest of your clothes cleaned during the day.” 

“Oh, that is right.” Henry agreed, tugging on his other sock. He pulled on the shirt Robert had given him, buttoned it and tucked it in. Pulled his braces back on, walked over to the hook by the door where he had left his coat and pulled it on. “So then, Robert, if I am not to work today, what are we doing?” He asked.

“Now that would ruin the surprise.” 

“You have been taking lessons from Stephen.” 

“I might as well!”

 

\---

 

“Edward!” Stephen called. “Edward I need you to get me some more potatoes, we do not have anymore.” 

Edward groaned and picked his head up. “We were out all day and you did not remember to get potatoes?”   
“Neither did you!” Stephen pointed out. “Oh, go on, pick the cat up off your lap and go get some potatoes!” He said. “Otherwise it will be you without one!” 

“Ugh.” Edward pushed Gwen off his lap and walked over to the door, pulled his cloak over his shoulders. 

“Oh, come on now, it is a lovely day, stop gripping!” Stephen scolded. “Scarcely an hour ago you did not want to come home so I could start cooking!” 

“And given that we live in London, the weather has gone from what could pass as sunny to pouring rain,” Edward said, grabbing an umbrella and opening the door. Alhena rushed in past him, soaking wet. “See you in a bit!” 

“Be back soon!” Edward sighed and stepped out into the rain, glaring up at the clouds like he could make it stop. He unfolded his umbrella and held it above his head, took a limping step forwards. Just like the rain to make his ankle play up again, and he refused to admit it but while it was much less dangerous, the medication Robert had given him was not as good at blocking out pain as the old pills had been. Not that he was complaining, of course, he was glad to be rid of the old pills and their accompanying danger. 

He was enjoying the feeling of recovering, too. Robert, of course, was fretting about any long-term effects, insisting on regular check-ups, watching for any signs of the failure of organ or any of the other things that could still happen, but all things considered, just being able to breathe easily, having the constant itching feeling gone and whatever other physical problems be gone was good enough for Edward. 

He  _ knew  _ that there were long-term effects. He  _ knew  _ there was still a damn good chance he would not live to die of natural causes because of those pills, but he was just glad to have lessened the immediate chances of his untimely demise. 

It was odd, actually, to be able to consider the idea of death so easily. The thought had used to panic him. 

He sighed and continued to his walk down to the market to fetch more potatoes. He had no idea how many potatoes Stephen needed, but he figured they never really seemed to have too many, so he may as well pick up a good number if the seller did not want too much for them. 

  
  


“Here you are.” Edward handed Stephen a bag of potatoes. “It is miserable out there.” He said, pulling off his cloak and hanging it by the door. He hung the umbrella as well, watched it drip onto the floor. “I am going to catch a cold now, just you watch.” 

“Oh, quit your whining!” Stephen said playfully. “Especially if you catch a cold, because then I will not hear the end of this for a month!” He laughed. Gave the blond a kiss on the cheek and a warm hug. “I am sure your brother and Robert will be here shortly, go get dried off.” 

“And Julia?” 

“She will get here shortly. Was looking after her nephew again. Heaven knows her brother-in-law cannot do it by himself, and her sister is under the weather.” Stephen said. 

“She has been under the weather for months, Steph. Since she had the little tyke. You might as well just say it, she is not getting better.” Julia said, stepping in the door. “And the winter is likely to actually make her sick.” She continued. “My brother-in-law is getting used to the adjustment, I am happy to help.” 

“If you ever need any help, let us know!”

“Eddie, you do not know my sister, nor my brother-in-law, have a more than full-time job at the society and you hate kids. You really should not make promises you will duck out of keeping.” Julia said. 

“I do not  _ hate  _ kids, you make me sound like such a jerk. I just do not particularly care for them. Needy, noisy things they are.” Edward said. 

“Sounds like a certain blond I know.” Stephen chuckled. 

“You wound me, sir!” Edward clutched a hand to his chest dramatically, then walked off into the bedroom to change out of his wet clothes. Pulled on a soft green shirt and a clean pair of pants. Stepped back out just in time for the door to open and Robert and his brother to step through. 

“Henry! Robert!” He cried, ran over and gave them both a hug. “Happy birthday again, Henry.”

“And the same to you, Edward,” Henry said with a grin. “It is… it is good not to be without you again for this day.” 

Edward nodded his agreement. He had missed spending his birthday with the man that shared it with him. Missed it dreadfully. And he had spent the last one hiding in his apartment, curled in a blanket and having Stephen lie to him. 

Speaking of Stephen and that letter, he supposed Henry had predicted that he would be the first to wish the other a happy birthday. 

“You can let go, Edward, neither of us are going anywhere,” Robert said with a smile. 

“Hugs are good for health, Robert,” Henry said with a smile, gave Edward another tight hug before pulling away. 

“You have not a shred of evidence of that, Henry, you just say so in order to convince me to give you more.” Robert laughed. 

“You can feel that it is true when you get one!” Henry protested. “You can feel it! It is just like-”

“None of that talk here again, I have heard enough about you comparing hugs to sex,” Robert said loudly. 

“Whoa! Even I do not want to venture too far down that road!” Edward laughed, grinning at his brother. “Besides. If the two are comparable, I am certain you two know far better health benefits than hugs.” He chuckled and led them inside. 

“Hello Henry, hello Robert. Happy birthday, by the way, Henry.” Stephen said. 

“Thank you, Stephen. How come I do not ever hear about your birthday, anyway?” Henry asked. 

“Stephen is fond of more… intimate affairs. Not dinners and such.” Julia said with a laugh. “ _ You _ would not know when his birthday is. Edward and I know the exact minute!” She giggled. 

“Why do I ask any of you any questions?” Henry asked, groaning, burying his face in his hands. “All I ever get for the trouble is answers I do not want.”  

“Someday you will learn,” Edward said with a laugh. “However that man is going to be forty next year, and he is not getting away with hiding here all day. So I guess you will find out next year.” He replied. 

“I know another dreadfully old man who will be forty years old next year.” Henry snickered. “I will have to make sure to throw a grand old celebration for that.”

“You are not that young yourself, Henry.” 

“But you are still three years older than me,” Henry replied with a cheeky grin. 

“Anyways, while Stephen finishes cooking and Robert claims not to be old, I have a gift for you,” Edward said. 

“Edward, I asked you if we were going to give gifts and you said no.” 

“I counted the book you gave me as a gift. You do not owe me anything. Besides, it is more sentimental than expensive.” Edward assured him. “I could not think of anything you would really want that money can buy, I guess I do not yet know you well enough to know those things. Not the grown-up Henry, at least. I know exactly what you would have wanted at sixteen. Anyways, here.” Edward walked into the living room, picked up a package. “You can open it now, no point in waiting.” 

Henry nodded, tore open the package. 

A notebook and a new quill. Henry flipped the notebook open to find that the pages were filled in. “What is this?” He asked. 

Edward smiled. “See, while I was trying to figure out what you would want as a gift, I realized that you probably do not really know me that well, either. But, you did make a lot of attempts to find out about me in our letters, all of which I refused to answer, like a total jerk. So I went back through all of your letters and I answered all of your questions in there.” He explained. “I never wanted to refuse to tell you, I did want you to know, but if I had answered you, you would have been able to guess who I was.” He said. “So now I can tell you everything. The pen just looked nice and I thought you would like it.” 

Henry smirked. “How many answers am I going to find that I never would have wanted to hear?” 

“I will have you know that I was very censored in my answers. I was committing them to writing, after all.” 

“I suppose that is true.” Henry smiled, flipped the pages. “Thank you. I do feel bad now that I do not have anything for you.” 

Edward shook his head and pulled his brother into a hug. “It has been eighteen years since I got to see you on our birthday. I am just glad to have you here.” 

Henry smiled. “I am too. Although I did see you on our eighteenth birthday, I seem to recall Stephen inviting Robert and me over.” He pointed out. 

“Oh, that is right, he did do that. It was nice to see you.” Edward confirmed. 

“You spent the whole night lying to me!” Henry argued. 

“I did.” Edward agreed. “You kept asking questions I could not answer! Maybe I should have put those answers in that book too, but I really cannot remember everything you asked me.” 

“That is alright,” Henry assured him. “It does not matter now. No more lies, it is a very happy birthday for both of us.” 

“The happiest in a while.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you liked it, please leave kudos and if you want to make my entire day, leave a review!


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